Gate construction



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1964 a mm a T -m m5 o MW m a F B RN QN QN NN MM m km Aug. 9, 1966 J. B. NETTLES GATE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1964 INVENTOR J13. [VETIZES BY United States Patent "ice 3,264,786 GATE CONSTRUUIION J. B. Nettles, Box 256, Rte. 3, Goodlettsviile, Tenn. Filed May 13, 1964, Ser. No. 367,065 Claims. (Cl. 4970) This invention relates to a gate construction, and more particularly to a construction for a self-closing gate.

Although it is old to mount a gate to swing about an axis at an angle to a Vertical support member, it is an object of this invention to provide such a gate of improved construction.

One object of the invention is to provide a gate constrnotion including a gate adapter, or adapter frame, of novel construction for hinging a gate to swing about an axis inclined to a conventional gate post.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gate construction including novel hinge means for not only hanging a gate to swing about an inclined axis, but also to insulate an electrical gate from the gate post.

Another object of this invention is to provide a strong and lightweight gate [structure which may be easily adapted for varying spans, and which may be easily opened by a moving vehicle and automatically closed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a gate having novel bumper means for continuously engaging a vehicle during its movement through the gate and for the various positions of the gate relative to the vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel gate construction, the elements of which are economical to construct and easily mounted and dis-mounted on existing gate posts.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in corn junction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the invention disclosed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the left end portion of the gate construction disclosed in FIG. 1',

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one form of hinge construction;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a modified form of hinge construction, with some parts exploded; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modified form of bumper, partly in section.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, FIG. 1 discloses a gateway defined by the ground level 10 and a pair of opposed gate posts 11 and 12. The gate posts 11 and 12 are shown as mounted in the ground 10 in substantially upright vertical positions. A pair of gate members '14 and 15, made in accordance with this invention, are disclosed hinged at their remote ends to the respective gate posts 11 and 12 in order to substantially span the gateway, but terminate proximate to each other without engaging or over-lapping. Since the gate member 14 is a mirror image of the gate member 15, and they are connected to their respective gate posts 11 and 12 in the same manner, only the construction of gate member 14 and its connection with gate post '11 will be described.

In order to secure the gate member 14 to the gate post 11 in an adequate manner, an adapter frame 17 of novel construction is provided. The adapter frame 17 preferably includes an elongated flat side member or bar 18, having an outer surface adapted to abut flush against the surface of the gate post 11 facing the gateway. An opposing side member or bar 19, also preferably flat and of the same thickness and width as the side bar 18 is rigidly connected at its upper end to the upper portion of the side bar 18 by a similar flat top bar 20, which may, if desired, be an integral extension of the bar 19 bent 3,264,786 Patented August 9, 1966 into the desired shape disclosed in FIG. 3. The top bar 20 is connected to the side bar 18 at the point 21, such as by welding, at a position slightly spaced below the top edge of the side bar 18 in order to provide a flange 22. An opening is formed through the flange 22 to receive a screw or bolt for securing the adapter frame 17 to the gate post 11.

The side bar '19 converges downwardly at an angle, preferably between 115, toward the side bar 18. However, before the bottom of the converging side bar 19 meets the bottom portion of the side bar 18, it is bent abruptly to form the inclined lower portion 24, which is held in spaced relation from the bar. 18 by means of the strut 25. The sharply inclined lower portion 24 joins the lower portion of the side bar 18 at a point 26 sp aced slightly above the lower end of the bar 18 also to provide a flange 27 having a hole therein for receiving a screw 28 for securing the adapter frame 17 to the gate post '11.

All the bars 18, 19, 20, 24 and 25 lie in the same plane of the frame 17, but their fiat portions form planes which are normal to the plane of the frame 17. The bars in the frame 17 may be rigidly joined by welding or other suitable means.

As best disclosed in FIG. 1, the gate member 14 comprises a tubular top rail or bar 30, one end of which is rigidly or integrally fixed to the top end of a side rail or bar 31 forming an obtuse angle with the top bar 30. The side bar 31 is adapted to extend substantially the full length of the adapter side bar 19. The top bar 30 and side bar 31 are adapted to lie substantially in a vertical plane when the gate member 14 is in closed position, as disclosed in FIG. 1. A brace bar or strut 32, also preferably of metal tubing, extends angularly between the lower end of the side bar 31 and a portion of the top bar 30 remote from the side bar 31. Although the gate member 14 disclosed in FIG. 1 also includes a bottom rail or bar 34, substantially coextensive with the top bar 30, the rail 34 may be optional. The rail 34 may be used to prevent smaller animals, such as pigs from passing through the gateway beneath the \top rail 30. The bottom rail 34 is fixed at one end to the bottom of the side bar 31 and is also rigidly fixed by a vertical brace or strut 35 to the top bar 30.

Since the upper hinge means 40 is identical to the structure of the lower hinge means 41, a description of the upper hinge means 40 will sutfice for both.

The upper hinge means 40 comprises a hinge block 43 having a fiat inner surface adapted to abut flush against the outer surface of the inclined side bar 19, and having an arcuate, preferably semi-cylindrical, outer surface, as best disclosed in FIG. 4. The block 43 is of such dimensions and made of such materials that it will be strong and hard enough to support the weight of the gate member 14 as it freely hangs for swinging movement about the hinge means 40 and 41. Thus, the hinge block 43 must be stronger for supporting gate members 14 of heavier material or of greater span. Moreover, the hinge block 43 is made, preferably of an electrically insulating material, where the gate member 14 is employed as part of an electrical fence system. The hinge block 43 is secured in position by means of a U-bolt 44, the bight portion of which is adapted to fit flush around the arcuate portion of block 43 end the threaded ends of which extend beyond the fiat portion of the block 43, through mating apertures in the side bar 19 and terminate on the interior of the adapter frame 17. The threaded ends of U-bolt 44 are fitted with internally threaded nuts 45 in order to rigidly secure the block 43 against the bar 19.

hinge straps 47and 48- andthe' hinge block 43 areqprovided with aligned openings therethrough for receiving a pintle .50.. The insertion of thepintle 50 through. .the openings in the straps 47 and 48 and the hingeblock 43 provides a pivotal support for the gate member 14 about they adapter frame 17. The holesthrough the straps 4'7 and 48 and. block 43 provide a pivotal axis for the pintle 50 which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the adapter side bar 19. Thus, the axis of the side bar 19, thepivotal axis of the pintle 50 and the longitudinal axis of the side rail 31are parallel and all form the same acute angle with the side bar 18 which is vertically mounted on the gate post 11; The pintle 50 is secured in position bythe cotter key 51 through a mating opening, and an apertured washer 52 is spaced between the upper strap 47 and the hinge block 43 to receive the pintle 50 in order to provide a better bearing surface for the hinge motion of the gate member If the gate member 14 is to be employed in an electrical system, the upper end of the pintle 50 comprises an eye through Which a bolt 54 isinserted to extend through a terminal eye 55 on an insulated electrical conductor.

56. The conductor 56 is connected to the main fence conductor 57 supported by insulator 53 on the gate 1 post 11, and also to a connecting lead 60 which carries the current beneath the groundlevel to continue the circuit on the other side of the gateway, as best disclosed in FIG. 1. Thus, current iscarried from the supply lead 57 directly into the metallic conductor rails of the gate member 14, without charging the adapter frame 17 and gate posts 11 because of the insulating .hinge block 43.

FIG. 5 discloses a slightly modified form of hinge means in which the width of the hinge block .43 'is equal to the 'width of the inclined side bar 19 of the' adapter frame 17. In this case, the threaded legs of the U-bolt 44' extend to the interior of the adapter frame 17" on the opposite sides of the inclined bar 19' and extend through mating openings in a single backing plate 62. The threaded ends of the U-bolt 44 are tightly secured by means of the nuts Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a bumper member 65 is secured to the free end of the top rail 30 in order to make contact with a vehicle passing through the gateway, without the vehicle engaging any other partof the gate member 14 to prevent scarring or damaging the vehicle. The bumper member 65 disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a pair of substantially equal arms 66 and'67 diverg-. ing froma collar 63 at substantially equal acute angles with the plane of the gate member 14. The free ends of i the arms 66 and 67 terminate in resilient pads 68 and 69,

preferably rubber spheres or balls. The arms 66 land 67. 1

are disposed substantially in a horizontal plane, as disclosed in IFIG.v l, by fitting the collar 63 overthe free end of the top rail 30 and inserting a cotter pin 70 through horizontally aligned mating apertures in the collar 63 and the top rail 30. Thus, it will be observedthat when a car approaches the gate member 14, it will first strike the rubber sphere 69, and force the gate member 14 to swing toward the rear aboutthe hinge means 4tl and 41. While the gate member 14 is swinging and changing its angle:

continuously withrespect to the vehicle, only the pad 69- will be incontact with the body of the vehicle@ Thus, when the vehicle just clears the free end of the gate member 14, the ball 69 will slip off the rear end of the vehicle:

and 41 will cause the gate member 14 to swing toward the front with a damping motion until it returns torest in its original closed vertical position. .The pad 68 functions in the same manner as pad 69 for a vehicle apand the, angle of the pivotal axis of the hinge members 40 preaching from the opposite direction.

FIG. 6 discloses another form of bumper member including a circular disc having one side76 convex, or semi-spherical, facing the hingemembers 40 and 41. The concave, or dished-out structure of the bumper 75,disclosed inFIG. 6, functions to render the bumper 75 more resilient to conserve materiak? Theflcenter of the convex surface '76 is also provided with a collar 77' adapted to receive the free end of the[;rail 30. in fixed :positionand.

coaxially with the center of the disc bumper 75. The

circular transverse shape of the. disc bumper :75 permits the bumper to extend radially on opp osite sides of the gate member 14 in order to engagea vehicle on either side of the gate member14. .As the :gate member '14. swings more and more at an. acute. angle to the vehicle passing through the gateway,,the convex surface '76 will provide a rolling engagement with the vehicle and also will provide more resiliency and fiexibility as the bumper member .76

engagesrthe sides ofthe vehicle;

It isbwithin the scope of thi-s invention to provide gate. members 14 and 15 without rails 34 and'braces 35,. where only larger live stoclcsuch as horses and cattle are to be contained. Moreover, for narrow gateways, such as footpaths, only -a single gate member14 may be employed.

On the other hand; gate members 14 and 1520f longer span may be employedby extending the top rail 30iand providing extra braces'and truss structure, with or without a coextensive bottom rail 34.- In such cases-,the adapter frame :17 and hinge means 40 and 41 must be strengthened accordingly.

From the foregoing description, itmust be observed,

that. a vehicle-operated, :self-closing gatestructure has been provided which may be electrical or'non-electrical,

and which 'may besimpl-y and-economically constructed,

and assembled-on existing gate postsz- Moreover, a gate structure has been provided which'will provide a minimum contact between thegate members and the vehicle and which will eliminate any tendency to scar or damage the vehicle.

It will be apparentto those skilled in the art that various changesmay: .be .made in the invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention .is notlimited by that WhlChllS shown in the .drawingsand described in the'specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. Agate construction comprising: (3.)13. gate post, (b) an adapter frames including opposed 'first and second sidebars having longitudinal axes converging:

in the same plane, V

(c) means for securing saidfirst side bar in a vertical position against said gate post so that said second side bar converges downwardly toward said. gate post,;

one end of said top rail being connected atan obtuse angle to said side rail, and the otherend of said top rail comprising a free end,

(e) :upperhinge means and lower hinge means spaced apart longitudinally of said second side bar and connecting..;said sideurail substantially parallel to said secondside bar,:

(f) each of said hinge means comprising a block fixed to said second side bar, a

(g) said gblocks havingaligned holes therethrough parallel to saidsecond side bar, toform' an inclined.

pivotal :axis for said. gate member,

(h) each'hinge.means includinga hinge vmem berfixed having aligned holesfor registering with the holes. in Saidv blocks.

(d). a gate member having a top rail and a side rail, 1

3. An electrical gate construction comprising:

(a) a gate post,

(b) an adapter frame including opposed first and second side bars having longitudinal axes converging in the same plane,

(0) means for securing said first side bar in a vertical position against said gate post so that said second side bar converges downwardly toward said gate post,

(d) a gate member having electrically conductive top and side rails, one end of said top rail being connected at an obtuse angle to said side rail, and the other end of said top rail comprising a free end,

(e) upper hinge means and lower hinge means spaced apart longitudinally of said second side bar and connecting said side rail substantially parallel to said second side bar,

(f) each of said hinge means comprising an insulator block fixed to said second side bar,

(g) said blocks having aligned holes therethrough parallel to said second bar to form an inclined pivotal axis for said gate member,

(h) each hinge means including an electrically conductive hinge member fixed to said side rail and projecting into pivotal relation with said corresponding block, each hinge member having a hole coaxial with said pivotal axis,

(1) an electrically conductive pintle for each hinge means extending through said corresponding holes in pivotal engagement with said corresponding block and hinge member and in electrical engagement with at least one of said hinge members, and

(j) an electrical conductor connected to one of said pintles and insulated from said gate post and said adapter frame.

4. A gate construction comprising:

(a) first and second gate posts spaced apart sufliciently to form a gateway for a motor vehicle,

( b) first and second adapter frames, each adapter frame having opposed first and second converging side bars having coplanar longitudinal axes,

(0) means for securing each first side bar in a vertical position against opposite gate posts so that each second side bar converges downwardly toward said corresponding gate post,

(d) first and second gate members, each gate member having a top rail and a side rail, one end of said top rail being connected at an obtuse angle to said side rail, and the other end of said top rail comprising a free end,

(e) spaced apart upper hinge means and lower hinge means connecting each side rail substantially parallel to each corresponding second side bar,

(f) each of said hinge means comprising a block fixed to said corresponding second side bar,

(g) said blocks having aligned holes therethrough parallel to said corresponding second side bars to form inclined pivotal axes for said gate members,

(h) each hinge means including a hinge member fixed to said corresponding side rail, and projecting into pivotal relation with said corresponding bloc-k, each hinge member having a hole coaxial with said corresponding pivotal axis,

(i) a pintle for each hinge means extending through the holes in said corresponding block and binge member so that there is free pivotal movement between said pintle, said hinge member and said block,

(j) the free ends of said gate members being spaced adjacent each other in the middle of said gatey,

(k) bumper means mounted on said top rails adjacent each of said free ends and having portions extending laterally on opposite sides of the plane of each gate member a distance substantially greater than the thickness of said top rails, the corresponding portions on the same side of the plane of said gate members being spaced adjacent each other, said portions having convex surfaces for engagement with a vehicle approaching said gate members from either side.

5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said bumper means comprises a resilient bumper disc having its central axis coincident with the axis of said corresponding top rail and having a convex outer surface facing said corresponding top rail.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,705,990 3/1929 Metzger 39-78 2,376,630 5/1945 Stentz 25610 X 2,587,160 2/ 1952 Howe.

2,629,192 2/1953 Taylor 256-10 X 2,651,806 9/1953 Thompson 16158 2,659,168 11/1953 Kaplan 39-87 2,718,079 9/ 1955 Strey 39-22 2,731,744 1/ 1956 Schnell 39-84 2,925,674 2/ 1960 Madden 3922 2,986,829 6/1961 Myers 39-28 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,683 5/1963 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GATE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: (A) A GATE POST, (B) AN ADAPTER FRAME INCLUDING OPPOSED FIRST AND SECOND SIDE BARS HAVING LONGITUDINAL AXES CONVERGING IN THE SAME PLANE, (C) MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FIRST SIDE BAR IN A VERTICAL POSITION AGAINST SAID GATE POST SO THAT SAID SECOND SIDE BAR CONVERGES DOWNWARDLY TOWARD SAID GATE POST, (D) A GATE MEMBER HAVING A TOP RAIL AND A SIDE RAIL, ONE END OF SAID TOP RAIL BEING CONNECTED AT AN OBTUSE ANGLE TO SAID SIDE RAIL, AND THE OTHER END OF SAID TOP RAIL COMPRISING A FREE END, (E) UPPER HINGE MEANS AND LOWER HINGE MEANS SPACED APART LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SECOND SIDE BAR AND CONNECTING SAID SIDE RAIL SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID SECOND SIDE BAR, (F) EACH OF SAID HINGE MEANS COMPRISING A BLOCK FIXED TO SAID SECOND SIDE BAR, (G) SAID BLOCKS HAVING ALIGNED HOLES THERETHROUGH PARALLEL TO SAID SECOND SIDE BAR, TO FORM AN INCLINED PIVOTAL AXIS FOR SAID GATE MEMBER, (H) EACH HINGE MEANS INCLUDING A HING MEMBER FIXED TO SAID SIDE RAIL AND PROJECTING INTO PIVOTAL RELATION WITH SAID CORRESPONDING BLOCK, EACH HINGE MEMBER HAVING A HOLE CORRESPONDING BLOCK, EACH HINGE MEMBER (I) A PINTLE FOR EACH HINGE MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE HOLES IN SAID CORRESPONDING BLOCK AND HINGE MEMBER SO THAT THERE IS FREE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PINTLE, SAID HINGE MEMBER AND SAID BLOCK. 